National Republican., 1887-02-11
THE HOUSE.


penditures in the Interior Department,
called up the. Senate bill providing that in
The general land Office thefe shall be ten
chiefs OF division, who shall receive salary
Of $1,000 each.
Mr.. Weaver explained that the simple
purpose OF the bill was to put the chiefs OF
division In the general land Office on the
same footing as chiefs in other bureaus.
Mr.. Steele of Indiana, inquired whether
The effect Of the bill would not be to take
these officers out Of the provisions OF the
civil service act, and upon receiving an af-
Iirmative answer, moved to strike out the
clause.
The Republicans refrained from voting,
and left the House without a quorum, in
which condition 1t remained until the morn.
Ing hour expired.
The House then went into committee OF
the whole (Mr. Blount, of Georgia, IN the
chair on the consular and diplomatic ap.
preparation bill.
Mr.. Allen, OF Mississippi, said that he had
been proyok cd into discussion Of this bill
by some remarks made by the gentleman
from North Carolina (Mr. Cox. That gem
tleman had spoken with sneers about some
friends of his, and hal made disrespectful
remarks about his friend, Judge Waxem,
and his constituents from Wayback.
Mr.. Cox said that he would apologize for
those remarks.
Mr.. Allen suggested that It was very easy
for member to disparage man aud then
get up and apologize. Laugnter,] But
the gentleman In speaking OF Judge
Waxem had said that he would much pre-
fer to 90 to the Secretary Of State for in
as to the diplomatic service than
to go to gentlemen on this floor who had
been spending their summer in canvasslng
among their rural constituents. The scope
OF the gentleman's remarks was that when
a member came to Washington and was in
the midst Of high teas and receptions and
all the glamour Of society and eloquence
and Brussels carpets and electric bells and
servants everywhere to british him down,
he should forget what he learned from his
constituents and go for information to
officers who lived In palaces. Laughter
He had never had experience upon the COM
mittee on appropriations Of the House, but
he had served as chairman Of the finance
committee of the board of aldermen Of the
town Of Tupelo, Miss, and In one year had
expended the enormous sum Of 5000.
[Laughter.l
This experience had been worth some-
thing to him. He had paid some attention
to the legislation of the country, and he
was bound to say that the criticisms made
yesterday by the gentleman from Illinois
(Mr Cannon) against the Democratic party
were just and appropriate. He remem-
bered that In 1876 Democratic committee
on appropriations had brought in diplo.
matte appropriation bill carrying less than
81 ,000,0 900; and the Republican party had
been arraigned for reckless extravaganza.
Now Democratic committee came In with
bill appropriatiDg over 100000 more
than had been required by reckless Re-
publican administration. 1t was time to
stop and consider.
Mr.. Belmont inquired II the gentlemlu
knew the amount Of increase in this bill
over the bill of last year.
Mr.. Allen replied that he did. The bill
of last year had gone through the House
by unanimous consent from the Demo-
cratic side, and had appropriated $l2l, 900
more for Democratic administration than
had been given to the preceding Republl-
can administration. When In his cam.
paigns he had charged the Republican
party with extravaganza and wastefulness,
he had believed it, and now his Demo-
cratic friends wanted to convince him that
he had been perpetrating scandal. Laugh
ter and applause.
Mr.. Belmont wished to PROFOUND ques-
tion, but Mr.. Allen declined to yield to
anything except applause, with which he
was again greeted.
1t was said, continued Mr.. Allen, that the
Secretary of State was more familiar with
the wants of the diplomatic corps than
members Of Congress were. He (Mr. AL
LEM was not for satisfying their wants. He
would rather satisfy the wants of the peo-
pie at home: and II any gentlemen set out
to satisfy the wants Of any set OF Office
holders, he would soon demolish the sur
plus. He heard some gentlemen, In de-
from $l2, 600 to $4,000, say that the people
Of a great, rich republic did not want to
see its ministers abroad starve. Where did
the riches Of the republic come from? Let
the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr.
Cox) go down to his own constituents and
ask the man who.earned his living by pick
ing chinquapins what he thought about a
person who starved upon $4,000 a year.
Let him go to the poor woman in Washing.
ton or New York who supported herself
and half dozen little children by sewing
for SO a week, and ask her what she thought
about starving to death on $4,000 year.
These people might be the constituents OF
Judge Waxem, but they formed large part
OF the constituents OF every member on the
floor. If Congress would take the taxes
Off the poor, and the government would
get rich off the riches Of the rich, then he
would be in favor Of placing appropriations
upon liberal basis but as long as the
riches Of the government came out Of the
tion that gentleman who sat up In build
ing which cost So, 100000, on deep Brussels
carpets, with electric bells at hand to en-
able him to summon attendants, knew auy
more about what was good for the people
than he did. Applause.
snow will retire to the cloak room to re-
ceive congratulations" exclaimed Mr.. Allen
In conclusion, amid laughter.
Mr. Hit, Of Illinois, said that the gentle
man had gone to the cloak room to receive
the congratulations Of those who had been
pleased with his remarks; but II the gem
tleman had gone to the places where he
would receive the most intelligent congratu-
lations he would have gone to the houses of
the rich men, for the gentleman's theory
would put the whole foreign service OF the
country in the handsof the rich men. There
was not another nation half as important as
the United States which had not foreign
service two or three times as large ana lar
better paid. This bill, which 1t was claimed
was extravagant, increased the pay OF only
two ministers. An appropriation OF S25, 900
was made for legation building in Japan.
He thought that the constituents of the gen
tleman from Mississippi would deem il
economy to erect the building rather than
to pay rental of So, ,400a year. He strongly
indorsed the provision for the payment ol
salaries to certain consuls In lieu of fees
Under the present system the treasury was
constantly defrauded by reason OF neglig'
cnce or collusion by these small consuls In
the matter OF invoices. Frequently con
sui was also a merchant and the man whose
duty 1t was to protect the revenues of the
government was the man most interested
In cheating the revenue.
If the consuls were paid salaries, they
would be what they should be, the senti
nels of the treasury, the protectors oil
American citizens, and the promoters OF
commerce.
Mr.. Clements, OF Georgia, defended thr
bill, and Messrs. Stone, of Missouri, All
McCreery, of Kentucky, criticised It's pro,
visions.
MIR. Belmont, in closing the debate on
the bill, replied to the attacks made upon
it.
The committee then arose, and at 8